Jesus and his disciples stop as the funeral procession passes by. The widow at the back of the procession is burying her only son. Tonight she will make dinner for one and conversation with none.

When Jesus sees the mother, his heart begins to break, and he tells her, “Don’t cry.” The pallbearers stop marching, and Jesus turns his attention to the dead boy and calmly says, “Young man, come back to life again.” Gray-pale cheeks blush. The dead man sits up.

Luke’s description of what happens next is captivating. “Jesus gave him back to his mother.” Jesus must have smiled as the two embraced. Stunned, the crowd breaks into cheers and applause. And someone proclaims the undeniable, “God has come to help his people” (Luke 7:15-16).